Gatty, would have been struck with the old lady's silence; but she came to tell the depressed painter that the charitable viscount was about to visit him and his picture; and she was so full of the good fortune likely to ensue, that she was neglectful of minor considerations.
It so happened, however, that certain interruptions prevented her from ever delivering herself of the news in question.
First, Gatty himself came to her, and, casting uneasy glances at the door by which his mother had just gone out, said:
"Christie!"
"My lad!"
"I want to paint your likeness."
This was for a _souvenir,_ poor fellow!
"Hech! I wad like fine to be painted."
"It must be exactly the same size as yourself, and so like you, that, should we be parted, I may seem not to be quite alone in the world."
Here he was obliged to turn his head away.
"But we'll no pairt," replied Christie, cheerfully. "Suppose ye're puir, I'm rich, and it's a' one; dinna be so cast down for auchty pund."
At this, a slipshod servant entered, and said: "There's a fisher lad, inquiring for Christie Johnstone."
"It will be Flucker," said Christie; "show him ben. What's wrang the noo I wonder!"
The baddish boy entered, took up a position and remained apparently passive, hands in pockets.
_Christie._ "Aweel, what est?"
_Flucker._ "Custy."
_Christie._ "What's your will, my manny?"
_Flucker._ "Custy, I was at Inch Keith the day."
_Christie._ "And hae ye really come to Edinbro' to tell me thaat?"
_Flucker (dryly)._ "Oh! ye ken the lasses are a hantle wiser than we are--will ye hear me? South Inch Keith, I played a bowl i' the water, just for divairsion--and I catched twarree fish!"
_Christie._ "Floonders, I bet."
_Flucker._ "Does floonders swim high? I'll let you see his gills, and if ye are a reicht fishwife ye'll smell bluid."
Here he opened his jacket, and showed a bright little fish.
In a moment all Christie's nonchalance gave way to a fiery animation. She darted to Flucker's side.
"Ye hae na been sae daft as tell?" asked she.
Flucker shook his head contemptuously.
"Ony birds at the island, Flucker?"
"Sea-maws, plenty, and a bird I dinna ken; he moonted sae high, then doon like thunder intil the sea, and gart the water flee as high as Haman, and porpoises as big as my boat."
"Porr-poises, fulish laddy--ye hae seen the herrin whale at his wark, and the solant guse ye hae seen her at wark; and beneath the sea, Flucker, every coedflsh and doegfish, and fish that has teeth, is after them; and half Scotland wad be at Inch Keith Island if they kenned what ye hae tell't me--dinna speak to me."
During this, Gatty, who did not comprehend this sudden excitement, or thought it childish, had tried in vain to win her attention.
At last he said, a little peevishly, "Will you not attend to me, and tell me at least when you will sit to me?"
Set!" cried she. "When there's nae wark to be done stanning."
And with this she was gone.
At the foot of the stairs, she said to her brother:
"Puir lad! I'll sune draw auchty punds fra' the sea for him, with my feyther's nets."
As she disappeared, Mrs. Gatty appeared. "And this is the woman whose mind was not in her dirty business," cried she. "Does not that open your eyes, Charles?"
"Ah! Charles," added she, tenderly, "there's no friend like a mother."
And off she carried the prize--his vanity had been mortified.
And so that happened to Christie Johnstone which has befallen many a woman--the greatness of her love made that love appear small to her lover.
"Ah! mother," cried he, "I must live for you and my art; I am not so dear to her as I thought."
And so, with a sad heart, he turned away from her; while she, with a light heart, darted away to think and act for him.
